205 W 5th Ave Ellensburg, WA 98926-2887
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Kittitas (pronounced 'KITT-i-tass') County is located in central Washington State. It spans from the lush forested Cascade Mountains to the upper Yakima River Valley plains and the Columbia River.
Kittitas County, WA - 12/16/2020 - Kittitas County will receive its first shipment of COVID-19 vaccine in the state’s first distribution to counties. The shipment will include 975 doses (minimum shipping amount) of the Pfizer vaccine. The first round of vaccine will be distributed to healthcare personnel, first responders, people who live in Long Term Care Facilities, and caregivers who work in Long Term Care Facilities.
The priority tiers for vaccine distribution is determined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) provides recommendations on vaccine allocation to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Tiers are developed to target populations of people at higher risk of exposure, higher risk of severe illness, or both if possible. Individuals in critical infrastructure jobs will addressed in the third tier of vaccine allocation. The Pfizer vaccine is over 90% effective. It requires two doses. After the second dose is administered, an individual is considered immune after 15 days. Kittitas Valley Healthcare (KVH) and Kittitas County Public Health Department (KCPHD) will work cooperatively to administer the first round of vaccine received in Kittitas County. Additional rounds of vaccine will be delivered to Kittitas County in the future. We expect to receive vaccine from other manufacturers as well after those manufacturers get Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval. At this time, the hope is that the general public will have access to the COVID-19 vaccine in April. On December 17, the Kittitas County Incident Management Team (IMT) is hosting an online Q & A regarding the COVID-19 vaccine. Medical and responder personnel will give a brief overview and then field questions from the public. Questions may be submitted prior to the event to Kasey.knutson@co.kittitas.wa.us) or during the event in the chat box. The meeting will also be recorded and posted on the incident website via the Kittitas County website for people who are unable to attend or join late. For more information about the COVID-19 vaccine, please visit www.doh.wa.gov or www.cdc.gov If you have questions about your health, please contact your healthcare provider or you can call the KVH COVID Clinic at 509-933-8850. If you are having a medical emergency, call 911 or go to the Emergency Department at KVH. If you have general questions about COVID-19, please call the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) at 509-933-8315 or 509-933-8305.
Kittitas County, from the Cascades to the Columbia, and online at http://www.co.kittitas.wa.us
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Contact: Kasey Knutson, Public Information Officer, (509) 962-7515